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Animal welfare experts have described the person who shot a fox through the face with a crossbow as barbaric. A bolt had to be removed from the animal's neck and cheek. The fox, named Cedar, is being treated at a sanctuary in Tunbridge Wells. Tom Savvides talks to RSPCA Inspector Ellen Thomas and Terry Woods from the Fox Project.

The fox was found in a changing room at the back of a shop Credit: RSPCA

A young fox has been rescued after it was found in Jigsaw clothes shop in Marlow in Buckinghamshire.

The wild animal was found curled up at the back of the High Street shop in a changing room.

The fox was found in a changing room at the back of a shop Credit: RSPCA

“It is very unusual that a fox will do something like this. He was a young fox and I think he was most likely frightened by the hustle and bustle of the High Street so darted into the store for shelter.

“I think all the bright lights would’ve confused him and he just curled up at the back to try to find safety.

“As soon as I got there I was able to catch him and I took him to a nearby rescue centre for care.
“Thankfully he seemed pretty well so he should be returned to the wild once he is back up to full strength.”

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Wildlife rescue workers are calling for sports clubs to put away their netting when not in use, after another callout to rescue an animal caught in a football net in Eastbourne. The animal was twisting itself around trying to get free - instead, only further entangling its neck.

The team from the East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service (WRAS) responded to an emergency call at 8am on Sunday morning by a passer-by with their son.

“When we arrived on site, we could see the fox straight away, and it was well and truly entangled. Luckily it was not able to move far, as it was easier than I was expecting to secure it”

“I was able to cover the fox’s head and cut the netting to stop it pulling on the fox’s neck. At one point the fox appeared to stop breathing but luckily I was able to respond quickly enough and encourage it to breathe again.”

“It was clear the fox had been caught for some time. This is one lucky fox not to have been attacked by a passing dog.”

“We would advise people to cable tie off the ground netting or to even remove the netting completely when not in use. Even by raising netting just 12 inches off the ground is enough to stop most casualties except deer. If deer regularly visit sports fields we would advise netting is removed completely when not in use”

– Trevor Weeks MBE, WRAS founder

In this case the rescued fox is responding well to emergency treatment at the WRAS’s Casualty Centre at Whitesmith.

The WRAS team say they are called to deal with around a dozen wildlife casualties a year. The animals have been caught in netting on sports fields, such as cricket tunnels, football goals and discarded netting left on the sides of sports fields. Hedgehogs, foxes, badgers and deer are some of the animals that have become entangled.

The fox was rescued from an industrial waste bin in Bromley Credit: RSPCA

A fox had a lucky escape last week when she was rescued from a closed industrial waste bin at a church in Kent.

The animal was found trapped inside the bin at Bromley Methodist Church in College Road in Bromley on Saturday 12th September.

The lid of the bin was closed and so heavy that she would not have had the strength to lift it by herself.

The fox was discovered in this industrial waste bin in Bromley Credit: RSPCA

“This fox had an incredibly close shave.

“We don’t know whether she accidentally fell into this big bin while looking for food and then someone shut the lid, either accidentally or deliberately, or whether she was placed there on purpose, thrown out with someone’s rubbish.

“Whichever the case, she was very lucky that she was spotted by the passer by emptying his rubbish before the bin men came. She would not have had the strength to lift that lid herself.

“We found the fox unhurt, but too terrified to move. I collected her and allowed her to scamper off into the bushes - back to the wild where she belongs.

“A lovely happy ending.

“If anyone did see something suspicious in the area relating to this fox please do let us know on 0300 123 8018.”

A male fox cub was rescued after becoming stuck between two brick-built garages in Emsworth. Hampshire Fire & Rescue's animal rescue team were called out after the cub became stuck in the cavity 12 inches below the concrete base and three metres in.

Animal rescuer Buster Brown, then used a drill, hammer and chisel to remove the bricks from inside the garage wall to reach it. He said:

"This process took nearly two hours as I had to remove the bricks carefully to ensure I didn't injure the animal."